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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. rock — music
  3. lie — to recline
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. stock — goods
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. charge — electricity
  10. rock — a stone
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. court — for sport
  13. game — wild animals
  14. charge — a price
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stock — shares
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. court — of a king
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. game — a match
  23. charge — in control
  24. court — of law

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com